Dorothea Orem's Theory: Needs And Self-Care Deficit Theory

Dorothea Orem was a needs and self-care theorist. She earned her diploma and Bachelor of Science and Nursing in the 1930s, her Master of Science and Nursing in 1945, and earned an honorary Doctorate in 1976 and 1980 (Meleis, 2012). Her philosophy of nursing was that patients can heal and recover quicker when they are able to take care of themselves. Her definition of nursing as stated in Theoretical Nursing Development & Progress is “nursing is art, a helping service and a technology” (Meleis, 2012). The goal of Orem’s Self-Care Deficit Theory is to decrease the self-care deficit. When patients are ill, they need assistance with care. As nurses we are there to provide the care needed while allowing the patient to perform as many tasks as they can for themselves. By allowing patients to provide care for themselves, they develop a sense of confidence and can assist them in overcoming obstacles in care. Per Meleis (2012), “Orem’s theory is categorized as a theory whose primary focus provides a framework for assessing needs of clients and developing intervention in enhancing peoples’ abilities to manage daily care for themselves and their dependents, and conserve their energy, and

My personal philosophy of nursing is based on holistic care which includes the mental and physical health of a person. I believe examining the whole picture and variables that play into a patient’s health is necessary to successful outcomes as well as effective communication. I think of Peplau because her theory discusses interpersonal relations and I am a firm believer in developing a strong, therapeutic nurse-patient relationship. Without a strong nurse-patient relationship, patient’s may not have the trust they should, therefore will not learn the tools necessary to be able to care for themselves. I strive each day in practice to develop strong nurse-patient